Spinal Injury Compensation Claims

Our specialist team of spinal injury compensation claims solicitors work closely with medical, rehabilitation and life-long care experts. We fight vigorously to ensure that those who have sustained a spinal injury through no fault of their own receive the best level of care and compensation to support them throughout their life. Support can also include home adaptations, transport needs and loss of earnings.

What is the spinal cord?

The spinal cord is an extension of the brain and consists of a bundle of nerves; these nerves carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body. The messages help us to move and control bodily functions and organs such as the: bladder, blood pressure, bowels, breathing and reproductive system. If the spinal cord is damaged the brain cannot receive signals or communicate with the body which can result in a loss of movement and sensation.

Classification of spinal injury

It should be noted that paralysis, loss of movement or sensation following a spinal injury will vary from person to person. However, an impact to the spinal cord in the back can lead to paraplegia. Paraplegia affects the movement in the legs and occasionally the stomach muscles. If the spinal cord has been damaged in the neck it leads to tetraplegia. Tetraplegia affects movement and sensation in both arms and both legs, as well as stomach and some chest muscles.

Medical experts use a system of letters and numbers to reference the type of injury a patient has. If the injury occurred to the spinal cord in the neck, then the individual will have a cervical nerve (C1-8) injury. The medical professionals will then refer to the spinal injury as a C1, C2 etc. injury. If however the spinal cord in the back has been injured then the injury will have occurred to either the thoracic nerve (T1-12) or lumber nerves (L1-5).

In addition to the system outlined above spinal Injuries are also referred to as a complete or incomplete spinal injury:

A complete spinal injury is where both sides of the body are affected and there is no muscle function, voluntary movement or sensation from the injury level or below.

If there is some muscle function below the injury such as being able to move a limb or there is still some sensation then the injury is referred to as incomplete.

Accident circumstance that may result in a spinal injury

Spinal cord injuries can be caused by a wide range of accidents including but not limited to:

Specialist solicitors

We understand that the needs of those with a spinal injury are serious and complex and as such the Personal Injury (PI) and Medical Negligence lawyers working with spinal injured clients handle a lower number of cases in order to give our seriously injured clients the full time and attention their case deserves.

We fight robustly to secure early payments for financial hardship and to assist with immediate accommodation, equipment and care support needs.

Our legal team can also assist in terms of employment issues, rehabilitation, home adaptations and work closely with other experts to set up a trust to ensure that benefits are protected. Please see our additional services for further information on personal injury trusts.

Contact us

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal injury due to the fault of another then you may be able to bring a spinal injury compensation claim. You can call our Personal Injury (PI) or Medical Negligence lawyers on Freephone: 0808 164 0808 for a FREE, no-obligation chat. Alternatively, you can complete the request a call back form and we will call you.